


The Kingslayers

by lunaveil



Series: The True Champions of Azeroth [2]
Category: World of Warcraft
Genre: Anger, Angst, Animal Instincts, Animal Transformation, Drunkenness, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Hurt/Comfort, Inspired by Roleplay/Roleplay Adaptation, Multi, Open Relationships, Possessive Behavior, Roleplay, Roleplay Logs, Slow Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-31
Updated: 2019-05-10
Packaged: 2019-10-20 03:03:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,949
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17614196
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lunaveil/pseuds/lunaveil
Summary: Suramar is free. The War with the Legion has ended. The Artifact weapons of the Champions have been sacrificed... but not all of them. The famed Gilnean soldier Battlelord Gaeralf Bevelle and his accomplice Shadowblade Khrystia have many more battles yet to fight. Tensions are growing between the Alliance and Horde, and now one friendship made with a rebellious Nightborne noble during the liberation could very well become the Champions' greatest weakness.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> This is the transcript for an ongoing roleplay between myself and my husband. I aim to clean it up when it is finished or adapt it into a true novel-esque story. Sorry about the typos in the meantime!  
> There are sexual bits that I will not be including in this transcript for the time being, so there may be some disjointed plot... I'll mark the areas where this content has been redacted with -----SKIP-----. I'm sure your imagination will suffice ;3c  
> There may be Warcraft lore implications that were not fully researched by either of us, or were ambiguous, so if something doesn't make sense in the canon universe we may end up retconning bits and pieces when we finish.

Gaeralf swung the door open to the Legerdemain Lounge and stormed up to the bar in a huff. He planted himself down at a stool and grumbled "Ale..."  
He was a regular and the barkeep knew him very well. So he poured some Gilnean Ale for the worgen into a VERY large mug, not speaking a word. The barkeep knew that the first one is _always_ on the house.  
He guzzled about half of the drink and slouched into his chair. His mood was sour after the latest battle on the front lines, things had not gone the way he had hoped.

"Had a rough day big guy?" a soft womanly voice inquired from the seat next to him.  
She was sitting with a whiskey on the rocks, hood up to cover her face, her messy dark hair hanging out the front sides.

Recognizing the voice, he kept his gaze out the window. His corners of his lips stretched back to form a strained smile.  
"So you let him die quickly this time huh? Missed me that much?" He said with an unusual playfulness. However, just as soon as his face had brightened up, it faded into a pained scowl.

She took another sip of her drink, then turned her head to look at him, reveling her weary face. Her olive skin was particularly sallow today, featuring clearly visible dark circles beneath her pale blue eyes. She peered at him with intrigue and her mouth twisted into a tight smirk.  
"He was a particularly boring person so I put him out of his misery before I fell asleep." she said sarcastically, now with lids half closed and a loose frown.  
"Ave you got the gold to cover your meal tonight or need my help again like last time?"

He grunted with amusement and lifted a bag covered in fresh blood onto the table. It clinked loudly as it pounded on the table.  
"No, I think I'll be fine." He chuckled and then winced slightly. He motioned to the barkeep to come over, who immediately heeded his call.  
"Meat." The barkeep understood the meaning behind this order as every other server did from him. One of everything, lightly seasoned, uncooked, and quickly. He was wearing a stained cloth tunic and loosely fitting fabric shorts. A leather cloak draped over his right side.

Khrystia's face contorted into a concerned scowl. She looked down at Gaeralf's side, and then back up to his face.  
"What've you gone and done to yourself then, eh?"

"Nothing. Wench." He gave her a small snarl and pulled his cloak over his left side hiding a gaping wound on his side.  
He hid it well but the smell of fresh blood was pungent. He looked around frantically for the barkeep for his food to quell his anger.

Khrystia groaned and rolled her eyes. "I don't even need to have my proper nose on to smell that wound you bloody fool."  
She stood up and walked over to sit next to his injured side. "Come on, let me dress it for you. You know it'll help." she cooed gently.

"It'll heal on its own. Leave it be." He was insistent, however, instinctively knowing she was right he loosened his cape and allowed the wound to show. It was deep, and has been left untreated for a few days evident by a few maggots that have found their way to it.  
"Be quick then, and be careful."  
The barkeep began to walk over to them with the first course of his meal.

She crinkled her nose when the stench from the wound wafted up to her face. "For fucks sake man you're rotting and infected, this ought to kill you."  
She pulled the neck wrap of her cloak up to cover her face and went to work. She always carried plenty of bandages and antiseptic, never knowing when they might be needed. She pulled one of her daggers out with which to remove the maggots, and cut off the infected bits.  
"Sorry, not sorry" she said as she poured a little antiseptic onto the exposed flesh.

His eyes went pitch black and feral and he began to snarl at her viciously. He sat there, eyes darting around trying to anchor himself to consciousness through the pain. The only person who could do anything like this to him was her. She was safer than most but not out of harm's way by a long-shot.  
"Slor Dowrrr" he growled viciously.  
The bartender saw this ordeal happening and decided to leave the meat at the end of the bar and retreat to the kitchen.

"Shut it you massive shitstain. It'd certainly hurt a lot more if you weren't letting me do this."  
She didn't even flinch when he growled at her. She simply wasn't afraid of him... She never was. Even when his jaws were around her neck.  
She triple wrapped his side with cloth bandages and tied them off.  
"There.. Now you can eat."

He began to shake his head to trey and snap himself out of the bestial rage that had began to take him from the pain.  
"Mhhhh.... _thanks_.." he said under his breath hoping no one would hear it. Gaeralf reached down the side of the bar to grab the tray of meats, he pulled it over to himself and began to feast.  
It was a magnificent spectacle and most of it was gone in a matter of minutes. With the juices dribbling down off his jaws onto his chest he turned to Khrystia and handed her a juicy Yak steak.  
"Hungry?" He muttered with a mouth full and drooling with meat juices.

She eyed the slab of meat with disgust, "I actually just ate not too long ago... All yours."  
She rose up and returned to her seat on his opposite side, giving the shaking bartender a head nod to indicate to him that he could come back out now.  
"One more please, and one for him as well, he'll appreciate something stronger to dull his pain." she motioned towards Gaeralf with one more piece of silver.

He chuckled lightly, "Bunch of scared children hiding in wait." His face straitened in feigned worry when seeing Khrystia's reaction to that remark. "I mean, that is helpful" he smirked again.  
"Got some bad news kid." He began to stare blankly. "They shippin' me to the Burnin' Throne."

 _Of course... Of course they are._  
She sat in silence for a moment before speaking again.  
"S'that bad news for me or you?"  
_It's both, really_

Gaeralf raised an eyebrow. "I'm sure you'd be happy to see the back of me. I can't decline it, and no use bein' scared. Scared makes you slow, scared makes you dead."  
He pointed at a glowing green bottle on the top shelf. And gave the barkeep a wink. The barkeeper fetched the bottle and poured the liquid into his glass. It was Felfire absinthe.  
"Not sure what tomorrow holds. May as well live a little before-" He paused, and then downed the drink.

Khrystia had an exasperated look on her face. Again it took her a few minutes to respond.  
"... When do we leave, then?"

"Not we."  
He motioned for another drink.

"You can't stop me"  
She was now glaring at him.

"It's not your call. It's Turalyon's call. And Greymane's call. And Matthias'. Gonna cost you a fortune if you disobey orders again."  
He slides a glass of neon green absinthe her way.  
"Drink."

She gripped the glass tightly and her lip twitched before she threw the whole thing back.  
"They'll never know I was there. They never do.. Nobody does. That's why Ravenholdt made me a Shadowblade." she boasted.  
"I don't take orders from anyone. I make my own. Turalyon would thank me and kiss my feet if he knew that when his best warrior is still alive at the end of this mess that it's because I was there to aid him."  
Her blood was boiling just a bit too much. She lay her now contorting face down on the bar and her body started to swell, bones cracking and small pained grunts escaping her throat.  
When she lifted her head again her fangs were unfurled in a snarl, blue eyes aglow with the same glare from before.  
"Besides... I've always wanted to see what it's like there" she growled.

Gaeralf's eyes widened. He loved watching her transform, and the burst of pleasing smells it gave off made his head spin for reasons he couldn't explain. He couldn't help but crack an intrigued smile.  
"I obviously can't tell you what to do." He looked strait at Khrystia "I give the word, an yer outta there. Aye?" He began to look Khrystia up and down. The way her Worgen form stretches out her human cloths always catches his eye, her rust colored fur covering her body.  
_Damn..._ he looked back forwards  
_She might catch me again...  
_He has always had a problem staring at her when in her worgen form.

She knew he always preferred her to be in this form. If she weren't so desperate to both hold onto her humanity _and_ remain more conspicuous in public settings, she'd always be in it around him. She loved making him squirm for her, and she knew that he'd be more likely to -allow- her to join him with some -physical coaxing-.  
"Sir yes sir" she said in her now deeper, raspy voice.  
"So tell me what time we will depart."

He began to fidgit slightly. "Dawn we port up to the Vindicaar. You _shouldn't_ be there, hidden in plain sight at that time." He spoke quietly, and began to side eye her, noticing a few tiny rips in the seams of her clothing.  
"And don't call me sir, I'm not your commanding officer." He sucked down another glass of absinthe.

At this remark, she slid into the chair directly next to him and leaned up close to his face. Her nose was just next to the corner of his jaw where it met with the base of his ear.  
"I will call you sir... If I fething want to.. Sir" she whispered, her breath tickling the tips of his fur.  
She leaned back over, side eyeing him the entire time, and nodded at the bartender.  
"Close out the tab for the lady who was here just before, she's gone on and wanted me to tell you." she said to the now even more confused and seemingly terrified young man.  
She turned back to Gaeralf and held eye contact with him. "See you at dawn then."

When she leaned over he was able to smell her worgen scent. That and her actions flustered Gaeralf immensely. She knew the ways to entice him in ways he wouldn't even be able to recognize. "L-leaving already?." He managed stammer.

She stood and whisked past him. Turning slightly back with a sly, fanged smirk.  
"I've blown my cover, need to keep moving. You can follow if you'd like but you might get lost"  
She joked with him like this all the time. She always left him a trail.. Because she knew he would follow and she wanted him to find her.  
"Cheerio!"

He watched her leave and sat for awhile drinking and losing some of his sensibility with it. After an hour had passed he stood up, stumbled a bit from the potent concoction, and walked to the door.  
He knew she had left signs for him to follow. But he could track her on smell alone. He couldn't help but follow her. The way she spoke to him, the scents she was giving off were too expertly placed, and too tactfully done. He began to walk lazily and follow the signs.  
The walk turned into a jog, and quickly turned into him on all fours, ferociously tracking her until nightfall.  
_I need...  
_He kept going and going, following her intoxicating scent until he finally found her. He always found her, somehow.

\----- SKIP -----


	2. Auroris

Khrystia slinked into the bar in her usual overly discrete manner, sticking to the right-hand wall as she made her way around and through the many occupied tables. If she weren't so confident that nobody would notice her, she'd avoid a place this crowded like the plague. However, she knew it was among the only places in Dalaran she could get Gaeralf to meet up with her, so she dealt with her gripes for his sake.

It was also one of the few places that all races of the Horde and Alliance alike could coexist in peaceful comeradery these days. Tensions were building as rumors were spread that faction-centric events were taking place in Silithus at The Wound - The Hall of Shadows was buzzing more loudly than ever with these rumors, since the Shadows had eyes everywhere. It was said that The Wound was being exploited for sinister reasons. Khrystia was growing closer and closer to just trekking there herself, but couldn't quite bring herself to leave Gaeralf's side just yet.

Once Khrystia had made it to her seat, she looked back toward the door and gave a small nod. This was the signal for her unlikely friend to enter. A pale, slender Nightborne woman strode into the bar and walked towards them directly through the center of the room so that everyone could see her. This was undoubtedly why Khrystia didn't want to enter with her at the same time - Her presence often drew the eye, as Nightborne were still very new to the world outside Suramar. It didn't help that she also loved the attention.

This particular Nightborne was known as Auroris Korgryn. Among Nightborne, everyone knew her name. But now that she was free of Suramar city, she could be a nobody for the first time in her life... and she loved it. She had become Khrystia's unlikely friend after an encounter during the war with the Legion where they provided mutual assistance to one another's objectives. Even though the Nightborne had recently become allied with the Horde, their friendship persisted. To Khrystia, there was a fine line between friend and enemy regardless that she was always aware of in any of her relationships, so really nothing had changed.

Auroris smirked at Gaeralf and took a seat beside Khrystia so she could face him.  
"So _you're_ this famous warrior I've heard all about?" she said with a raised eyebrow, "Pleasure to finally make your acquaintance."  
She lifted her right arm forward over the table with wrist limp and dainty for him to kiss in greeting.

He looked at her hand and observed her presence. His instincts told him to proceed with caution, though she showed an astounding lack of fear when confronting him. No one has done that in quite some time, which brought him a confusing mix of comfort and fear. He decided to lean forward into the light, hulking above her. He extended his gigantic paw to meet her dainty hand with a thumb and forefinger. His fingers almost matched the size of her hand. Once the shake was completed he leaned back into his chair with a grumble.

"Pleasure's mine. My name is Gaeralf Bevelle, warrior of Gilneas." He cleared his throat. His eyes and face were uneasy in this stranger's presence. If his gaze met her's he would either look away quickly or glance to Khrystia for reassurance. "Perhaps some drinks?" He grumbled softly.

Auroris was of very sound mind and had little fear, even of a creature like Gaeralf. While many would be wary of him due to his monstrous appearance and massive stature, Auroris was instead highly intrigued by being able to meet a creature like him. It wasn't that long ago that she feared any glimmer of hope of ever seeing the outside world would be crushed forever. She glared at him with her shining eyes and looked at Khrystia excitedly.  
"You didn't tell me he was _this_ big!" she crossed her arms and looked back at him with a tilted head, "You are an absolute brute, Gaeralf of the Gilneas Brigade. You must make your king very proud."  
  
Khrystia couldn't help but grin at this comment. Auroris's personality was something that would normally grate on someone like her, but Auroris was just clever enough underneath her unfiltered ego that it entertained Khrystia greatly.  
"Helps me keep cover he does. Quite easy to hide behind."

Gaeralf shifted in his seat with an uncomfortability brought on by the attention he was getting. He motioned to the waitress who knew exactly what to bring him without coming over.

Auroris also beckoned for the waitress, a young dwarf. She was simply giddy from all the new races she was getting to meet.  
"Arcwine! Red, if you've got it, else blue is fine. Oh and do bring the entire bottle, I believe the three of us will be able to finish it off."  
She pulled a small jingling coin purse from her side and handed it to the waitress, whose eyes widened when she peered inside.  
"Aye miss, I'll see what we've got."

Khrystia leaned back in her chair and placed her hands behind her head. She was perfectly fine with arcwine, especially considering she wasn't paying for it.

Gaeralf snorted at a sudden realization that struck his humor. "So how did you two meet? Not exactly the gutter trash I'd expect from Kay are you?" He struck Khrystia a toothy grin, showing his ivory armory of sharp fangs.  
"And you are much more well mannered."

Khrystia rolled her eyes. He wasn't wrong - she wasn't one to make friends, and especially not those who seemed anything more than herself. He probably expected that she was merely using Auroris, trying to rob her of her obvious riches or other such valuables.

Auroris straightened herself in her chair as she spoke.  
"She just so happened to be in the alleyway outside my parents' estate in Suramar City at the exact moment I was sneaking out one night... At first definitely seemed like rotten luck for me, but turned out to be a very convenient encounter for both of us."  
She smiled wide, a visible canine fang poking out and over her lip.  
"We're both lucky to be alive. Those who crossed us that day however.. They weren't so lucky... Oh! The wine!"  
Before she could continue, the bottle of red arcwine and three crystal glasses were set on the table in front of them. Auroris gestured to Gaeralf, "A gentleman surely, you will pour for us?"

If Gaeralf could blush he would have. He had been shown no kindness like this in a long while. He picked up the bottle and poured them each a glass. He set his glass aside and reached into his pack to grab a large ivory and steel stein which he began to fill up. Once finished he raised his glass.  
"To the Legion's end then?" He toasted somberly.

Khrystia and Auroris took their glasses and raised them in unison.  
"... and to Elisande's" said Auroris.  
Khrystia merely nodded.  
The two glasses clinked against the stein, and they sipped. It was strong, flavorful and tingly with active ancient mana energy. The buzz gained from arcwine was unique to other beverages, even for humans.

Auroris swirled her glass thoughtfully, "In honesty, I owe you both a great deal. I've heard stories told of your efforts in the war... Our liberation. Truly a shame that your factions are already turning on each other after having worked together so well on all that. I'm sure it won't be long until being seen together could be dangerous for us."

Khrystia snorted, a deep scowl wrinkling on her forehead. "Not a soul'll see me... Horde nor Alliance. As for Thalyssra's decision to join forces with the banshee, I'm certain she'll come to regret it."  
She took an unrefined swig of her wine. She had been there.. Seen Thalyssra herself at her lowest points, begging to be fed any scrap of mana to be found. Khrystia had personally hunted for that very mana to sustain her and her resistance. She was satisfied with the outcome of the liberation - The people of Suramar truly were much better off now, but having gotten to know Thalyssra... Occuleth... Silgryn, and Valtrois... Their choice to join forces with the Horde puzzled Khrystia deeply.

Auroris nodded, "I can't claim to know what goes through someone's head when they make decisions that affect an entire race of people. All I know is that the ones making the decisions before were wrong, and now that they're gone we're free. I aim to take as much advantage of that as possible."  
She took a sip of her wine, savoring its flavor and feeling the mana travelling down her throat and into her core.  
"Khrystia has introduced me to the Hall of Shadows. I think I'm going to fit in quite nicely with those folks."

"Hmmf, the Hall of Shadows. A den of liars, thieves, and killers. No honor among such people." Gaeralf grumbled. He quickly looked at Khrystia and then back to Auroris. "Ehemm, present company excluded." He chuckled deeply and leaned back to take what amounted to a guzzle of wine. As the red liquid ran down his tied of beard he smacked his stein down and gestured towards the door. Where we warriors dwell is the Halls of Valor. Golden pillars hulking over us, buttresses draped in cloths stained crimson and scaled gold gleaming in the unending sunlight. Each being there, a warrior of honor. Now THERE is a place with some class." He snarled in amusement.

"No, Gaeralf. You're right. No need to 'exclude.' Mathias Shaw himself doesn't claim to be an honorable man." said Khrystia in a matter-of-fact tone.  
"-Aaaand as for _class_..." Auroris chimed in, "I think that's a more, er, subjective factor."  
She honestly found the Hall to have its own impressive charm, and the vagabonds within ranged widely in sophistication. Outlaws, assassins and general rebels from all walks of life could be encountered there. It wasn't hard to find what she herself considered to be "classy" folk within the underground community.  
"Although what you describe does indeed sound glorious." she reassured, batting her eyes and flashing a cute fake smile.

"It is glorious..." He spoke wistfully, as he took another gulp of arcwine. He began to seem slightly agitated as he drank more, almost as if his pupils had dialated ever so slightly. Regardless he continued on with conversation. "So... What has Khrystia told you of me?" He looked over at Khrystia coyly. "Did she tell you of any battles we fought? Of the monsters we have killed?"

Auroris poured herself some more wine and then scooted the bottle towards Gaeralf, noticing he was running low.  
"It took her quite some time to admit to me that she fought alongside a famous worgen warrior... With good reason, in fairness. A girl's gotta keep her cover, even among seemingly isolated folk like me. She tells me that your name is pretty well-known... And that she was usually there during many of your greatest victories."  
Auroris glanced at her friend with a smile, and Khrystia returned it.  
"I've begun to lose track of all the battles... But the pay is just too good to pass up." Khrystia said, "... And I do feel a sense of loyalty to Gilneas, to the king. Mutual benefit."

"It's worth it to see the Legion and Sylvanas's end." He side eyed Khrystia inquisitively. "Did she tell you anything else about me?"  
He poured another mug of arcwine. He hadn't drank arcwine in awhile, so he may have been going a tad bit to fast with his consumption.

Auroris leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms. "Oh probably nothing that isn't true of any Worgen male," she said in a nonchalant tone, "... Large, covered in fur, sharp fangs... Big hands and feet... Big big big!"  
Khrystia felt herself growing flush and snickered nervously under her breath, trying not to make eye contact with either of her friends lest her embarrassment show.

Gaeralf nodded to the comment calmly and brought his Stein up to his muzzle. Once realizing the implications of what she said he choked on his drink slightly and became slightly withdrawn. He began to try to do some damage control "O-oh, well don't be to afraid.. I can usually keep a handle on my hunger." He completely missed his own implication.

At this, Auroris couldn't help but laugh. She cackled with her hand covering her mouth, nearly spitting out the sip of wine she had just taken. "I'm glad for that! I was afraid with you drinking that wine you'd develop a taste for mana, which Nightborne like me undoubtedly taste like!"  
Khrystia was also laughing, but much more quietly. "It's true, I can vouch for it. Nightborne definitely taste like mana." she said, leaning forward seductively and with the straightest face she could muster.

Through his embarrassment, Gaeralf huffed and then took a swig of his wine, he decided to try to gain the upper hand on the conversation once again.  
"Not half bad." He said with a grin. "I never doubt Khrystia to have bad tastes."

His eyes dilated slightly more. He knew what was happening. He just couldn't accept it. The beast within him seemed to be coming more frequently. Hopefully Khrystia had already noticed the signs and had things under control. For once he was feeling normal, and of course, the instincts decide to intervene. He wanted to hold out as much as possible.

Shaking his massive head abruptly he decided to accept Auroris as a beneficial acquaintance and subtly warn her. "I am not sure what else Khrystia has told you. But you seem like an okay gal. So I'm only going to say this once. If I ever seem... off, just follow Khrystia's lead. I can at times become... hard to manage." His head was turned towards the candle on the table, a look of shame coated his large face.

Khrystia promptly stopped snickering, noticing the change in his demeanor near instantaneously. Even in her human form she was highly attuned to Gaeralf's mental state. Each of her keen senses were trained to detect the slightest changes in her surroundings, and Gaeralf had been a near constant in her life for a very long time now. Beneath the table, she placed a small gentle hand on his massive haunch in attempt to calm him, and to let him know she was there to anchor him to reality.

Auroris too had detected the change. While she was a novice when it came to being aware of her surroundings, she was an expert at reading other people. It made her even better at manipulating them, and she had a bad habit of trying to do so with anyone she came across. In reality, it was part of how she was able to convince Khrystia not to kill her during their first encounter.  
"Well I'm glad to have made a good first impression. Rest assured, no matter how 'off' you become, I'll be more than capable of aiding in your... 'management.'

Gaeralf took what she said at face value. He assumed there was some sort of deception in her words. But if she cared for Khrystia, and saw what he would become, she may change her tune when the time came.  
"So.. as much as I would love to stay here and drink all night, I am guessing one of you have plans for us tonight?"

Auroris and Khrystia looked at each other and then back to Gaeralf with smiles on their faces.

"I see that you're just as bored as we are. Good. I've got some... unfinished business back in Suramar. I think the two of you might enjoy helping me to finish it." Auroris said, leaning forward with a sly grin, "Interested?"

He chuckled and turned to stand up then guzzled down the rest of the wine in his stein.  
"I guess I could tag along, It's been awhile since I was in Suramar."

He walked to the door and retrieved his swords before pushing it open and holding it.  
"After you, ladies."

Auroris was surprised by his instant enthusiasm and acceptance. She hadn't even given any details yet! Khrystia really did have this beast wrapped around her finger.  
"Wonderful! I'll explain further in a more... private setting. I'll head onwards to my hideaway. Kay knows where it is... see you soon."  
With that, she curtsied respectfully and made her way down the streets towards the north side of the city, disappearing into a nearby crowd of mages.

Khrystia waited until Auroris was out of sight to quietly exit the tavern with her hood drawn, and began to walk alongside Gaeralf towards Krauss Landing.  
"There's good money for me in this so be prepared to take it seriously. You'll also not want to make too much of a scene... I'd hate for word of this to get back to the king that we furthered tensions within a Horde-allied homeland."

"As long as we aren't killing innocents or Alliance members It'll be find. I need some excitement to... sate my thirst, if you catch my drift.." He walked slowly, his gate short and steady to keep up with her in her human form.

"Lead the way, I hope I won't have to kill your new friend." He struck a sharp toothy grin.

"Oh don't fret about that.. If she ends up dying it'll be by  _my_ dagger."  
It was odd for Khrystia to have a friend other than Gaeralf... a friend in general. It was hard for her to admit she had let her guard down so much with this Nightborne woman. But Auroris seemed to admire Khrystia and respect her highly... Something Khrystia wasn't used to, and enjoyed the feeling of it.  
Nonetheless, she knew she had to stay diligent. _Trust the wrong person and you're dead_ she always thought to herself. On the other hand.. Her confidence in her ability to not only survive but end the lives of others with ease was higher than ever.

When finally they reached the edge of the city, Khrystia called upon her giant raven and climbed into its saddle.  
"Meet me on the western edge of Suramar city where the treeline ends."  
The raven beat its massive wings to raise up high into the sky, and then turned to make its way down from through the clouds. She would take her usual flight route - an oddly mapped twisting route designed to throw off any potential followers.

He called for his dragon, Astrid, who swooped down landing with a powerful gust. She nuzzled his face and awaited orders. Gaeralf, needing no psychotic defense mechanism like his counterpart did what he did best, got down to business. He flew strait there, taking him only a few minutes to arrive thanks to Astrid's speeds.

Once he was at the western edge of Suramar, he stepped out from the trees and gave a sharp whistle to alert either Khrystia, who probably wasn't there yet, or Arouris to his presence.

It took a while for Khrystia to arrive, her raven swooping down so that she could jump off. She landed silently with grace in the most shadowy area of the clearing. She scanned the area and spotted Gaeralf fairly quickly. After having determined there was nobody else around, she approached him.  
"Come with me.. The entrance isn't too far from here."

Gaeralf's massive head swayed to make eye contact with her. His eyes caught the moonlight and seemed to glow silver in the darkness. He walked silently over to Khrystia and followed her leave, his claws ready to react to even the slightest uncertainty.

"Lead the way, gorgeous." He said with a smirk, his teeth also gleaming in the moonlight.

She sniffed at his supposed compliment and didn't respond, suppressing the urge to roll her eyes.  
With dagger in hand she crept into the woods, masterfully stepping so not to disturb the underbrush.  
After about a five minute trek, they came upon what appeared to be an old moss-covered stone birdbath - to any local passerby, a long forgotten connector to the Suramarian leylines. Beyond it was a seemingly solid stone formation at the base of a large cliff.  
Khrystia approached the device and placed her dagger into a crevice on its side, pressing downward.  
Her action caused a bright blue light to shine from the stone formation ahead. It revealed that the collapsed wall did indeed have a small, concealed entrance. Khrystia motioned to Gaeralf to follow her inside.

He followed cautiously. It was too narrow for his liking, to easy for ambush. His canine eyes helped him see in the dark so he wasn't too worried. The Suramarian need to be both elegant and secretive was truly quite baffling to him. As he followed Khryistia further down the path he couldn't help but let his eyes linger on her ample backside. It had been quite awhile since him and Khrystia had been together before this. And he was starting to feel the withdrawal effects.

"How much further?"

Khrystia stopped at what seemed to be a dead end.  
"Impatient, as always.." she said with a smirk.  
She swiped out her dagger again and moved a stone aside on the floor beneath with her foot.  
Moving the stone revealed another dim blue light shining from the center of a carved rune, and a small indenture next to it.  
When she pressed her dagger into the indenture, a loud CLACK echoed through the cave from their left. She turned and pressed her free hand against the wall, which opened to reveal yet another hidden entrance.  
"Welcome, friends!" Auroris's voice could be heard from within.

Gaeralf walked through the entrance and entered a circular room dimly lit by the light of the arcane leyline taps around the room. It was evident someone had been staying here for a while.

"Nice place." Gaeralf grumbled as he made noticeable sniffing sounds . He was attempting to learn things about Auroris through the scents in her humble abode.

The stone walls and floor of the cavern were very lavishly decorated - A massive plush ornate rug spanned across the entire space.  
The left side was draped in various expensive tapestries the likes of which could only be seen in the homes of Suramarian nobles. These hung above a sizable pile of incredibly soft-looking pillows, no doubt where she would sleep at night.  
Against the opposite side was a long wooden workbench covered in countless vials filled with all colors of the rainbow. A full crystalline alchemy set was the centerpiece of the table, showing obvious signs of use.  
All around the room sat soil-filled planters of differing shapes and sizes, bursting with healthy quantities of herbs that could be found around the broken isles. Some were supported by glowing blue heat lamps, while others had glass orbs thrust into their soil filled with leywater to nourish them.  
Auroris sat against the far side of the room in an over-sized plum velvet armchair with her legs crossed. "Thank you! It is lovely, isn't it? Come and have a seat so we can chat..." she motioned towards two matching velvet stools on either side of her positioned in a circle around a stout dark wood table. Atop the table was a rolled scroll.  
Khrystia made herself comfortable without a second thought, claiming the seat on Auroris's right.

Gaeralf walked over to the stool and sat down, dwarfing the size of it and needing to use his legs to keep balance.  
"So, what's the job here? I'm assuming you want me to kill something?" He pouted slightly, as that was always the reason people called on him. Though he'd be lying if he thought he didn't need it to quell the beast within.

The area smelled, good, too good. It calmed him, and he allowed himself to lower his guard slightly. He could tell the charm of this woman was a trap, he knew she was dangerous, but he felt if things went bad he could handle himself.

"Well... I'd like to say, if this goes well then nobody has to die. However, I am anticipating that it will in fact _not_ go well, therefore a couple of heads may have to roll. But don't you worry... they definitely deserve it."  
Auroris leaned forward and placed her hands delicately against the scroll on the table, unfurling it gently before placing two weighted stones somehow concealed in her palm on each edge.  
"This," she began with a subtle upturn of the side of her lips, "is a map of the noble district of Suramar city. It covers all the way from the vineyard to the Sanctum of Order."  
She ran her finger in a circle around one building in particular on the map. "This is where a very bad man lives. A very bad, very rich man. He was one of Elisande's advisors... one of the only ones left alive, because he advised her in secret. My sources tell me he has something that belongs to me hidden away in his home. I want you to retrieve it for me."  
She looked at Khrystia inquisitively, who nodded back at her as though she were giving permission to Auroris to continue speaking.  
"You're probably wondering why I don't go and get it myself, or merely send our wonderfully sneaky worgen in to get it. The answer is... there's one other thing I want... something neither she nor I will be able to get. That's where you come in, Gaeralf."

Gaeralf lifted an inquiring brow. "What would you need a big lumbering monster for then?" He chuckled shallowly.  
"And what exactly is this object?"

"Patience, I'm getting there..." she said in a much more sour tone than usual, her face growing gaunt.  
"What you must do is engage with the man of the house... Potentially also his wife if she is there. They will probably be fairly alarmed to see a creature like you. I'm hoping they'll be terrified of you and simply give you what you ask. If not... You'll need to take it by force. There is a vault in the basement of the home that is sealed by arcane magic. Get him to open it and take everything inside back here to me. If he refuses, kill him and use your brute strength to open it."  
She didn't break intense eye contact with Gaeralf the entire time she explained. The blue light danced in her eyes like a super-hot flame as they turned then to Khrystia.  
"Dearest Kay will enter the home and stealthily take the other item from the bedroom upstairs... The reason I can't do this is because I've tried it before, and failed. There are magics at work in there that can detect the highly-concentrated mana in my bloodstream. You two won't trigger them like I would, even after drinking the wine earlier. If you bring me these things you'll be rewarded with everything you loot other than the items I seek, as well as knowing you did a blow to the Horde's resources."  
She placed a finger to her cheek and tilted her head, the intensity in here eyes unchanging despite trying to look cute.  
"What do you say?"

Gaeralf chuckled at her intensity. "Relax girl. No need to get worked up." He gave her a wink and stood up. "I'll retrieve it for ya." He grinned wide. "I was beginning to get restless anyway."

Khrystia stood as well, drawing her hood over her head and adjusting her gloves to adhere more tightly to her hands.  
"It'll be quick and clean on my end, as you know. And I've no doubt Gaeralf can get into that safe, one way or another... We'll return by dawn."

Auroris's face softened again, and her voice became sweet. "Splendid... I look forward to your return, my friends. I'll have some sparkling wine ready to celebrate."

Gaeralf gave a nod of understanding and lead the way outside the hovel. Once exited, he turned to Khrystia to chat a bit about the whole experience. "Quite an... Intence? Friend you have there." Gaeralf grumbled. "She is certainly a force to be reckoned with."

"She's a crack-elf... They're all a bit like that, ain't they..." she replied.  
"But a resourceful one, and clever. Very valuable to 'ave someone like her on our side."  
They slowly made their way towards the city's edge as they spoke.

"I suppose. She was quite beautiful as well." He grinned in a teasing manner. "Kay and Auroris, I could get used to the company." He gave a small cackle.

"I tell you this Khrystia, I am not killing anyone tonight. None, okay?"

Khrystia felt a twinge of jealousy when the word "beautiful" left Gaeralf's maw... It was not a word she'd heard him say often, although he wasn't wrong. And it wasn't like she was anything special herself, so she thought. She chose to ignore this comment, but couldn't ignore the one that followed.  
"... Really... What makes you think you'll be able to succeed, then?"

Gaeralf wasn't entirely sure why he decided not to kill. But it was important to him. It may have been to prove something to himself. Either way, he would try his hardest to uphold it.

"Oi, I didn't agree to this codswallop... But I ought to be able to get in and out unseen if you can get them out of my way. No kills, then."  
This was her convoluted way of making a promise.


End file.
